I also wanted to thank SovietKitchen.com‘s Michael Bogdanov for an awesome Canto Talk show last night (click HERE to listen): I learned a to ton about the Soviet Union and cooking. We will be featuring his site and recipes again for future update.

This is the first pre-dynastic mummy to have undergone a CT scan. From bone formation evidence, this specimen, referred to Gebelein man, was 18-21 years old at the time of death. The autopsy revealed he was likely stabbed to death. Fore more information on Gebelein man, click HERE. A snippet:

This man died more than five thousand years ago and was buried at the site of Gebelein, in Upper Egypt. The reconstruction of his grave illustrates the early Egyptian custom of placing the body in a contracted, foetal position, usually on the left side, with the head to the south, facing the west, the land of the dead where he would be reborn. Around him were all the things he might need for his afterlife, especially pottery to hold and serve food.

In the Predynastic period (4400-3100 BC), the time before the pharaohs, the dead were buried in shallow graves cut into the desert sand. The graves were often lined with reed mats, making them like a bed, and the body was covered with linen or skins and more mats, like a blanket, before the grave was refilled and perhaps topped by a mound of dirt. Contact with the hot dry sand naturally preserved the bodies because the sand absorbed the water that constitutes approximately 75% by weight of the human body. Bacteria cannot breed without moisture and as a result, the bodies frequently did not decay, but simply dried out. The body of this man is remarkably well-preserved, even down to his finger-nails and hair, which has probably faded with time.

Dear Readers: Please bear with me, as I indulge in a lot of Gallows Humor today. To start with, let me offer Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” as my music offering for this week.

This post is not going to be a depressive blend of angst for the future and derision against people who selected the high-tax, big-state options. It is rather an embrace of one of my key philosophies in life: IF YOU FAIL, FAIL BIG. THAT WAY YOU RECOGNIZE IT’S A COMPLETE FAIL, DON’T BOTHER WITH USELESS EXCUSES, AND MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGE.

Laughing and joking about the Nov. 6th results is going to ease the pain, because it is obvious that there was a complete system failure and we are going to have to double down on blood, sweat and tears if we are going to get a solid independent conservative message to attract American voters.

I am noted for my gallows humor. When being carted off to for surgery after breaking my hip, I had my doctors laughing at statements like: “It’s OK doc — I didn’t need that part anyway.”

So here are some observations about where things stand today, and what the SoCal Tax Revolt Coalition and SLOBs will be working on for the next election cycle.
* GOP Reaps Its Surrender of Pop Culture

Hopefully, the Romney campaign is the last run by the DC consultant class. They finally had the full range of resources to run their playbook, and it fell woefully short. I remember Andrew always urged the DC GOP to tap into conservatives in Hollywood and the creative arts to engage in the pop culture wars. He implored them to use their skills to hone their message and outreach. Those efforts were universally rebuffed by the consultant class.

The time for “playing nice” with vague messaging and glossy graphics is over.

A fail this spectacular means that Karl Rove and the complete set of elite Republican consultants that were involved with this campaign should never be associated with an election again. Ever.

Legal Insurrection’s Professor Jacobson has a wry wit when it comes to analyzing the election results, and shares a similar thinking:

But after Tuesday’s Santa Claus election, in which a bare majority voted for more Obama phones and free contraception and abortions, maybe it’s time for a complete and dramatic reset of government.

Shrink it, pay for it, stop Santa Claus before he turns us into Greece.

I’m not endorsing going off the fiscal cliff yet, but it’s worth a discussion since we have lost the ability for four years to change the trajectory of economic destruction. Maybe it’s time for us to take our medicine while we still can.

The successful 2010 election was the fruit of active citizens at the grassroots level. The 2012 election was the result of tired tactics used by establishment Republicans — with an extra bonus of 2 GOP senatorial candidates thinking they were in the running for Chief Theologian of the United States.

“David Frum and those folks can continue attempting to blame conservatives and other people for the fact that they’ve put up Bob Dole, John McCain and now Mitt Romney,” {Ryan} Rhodes {Chairman of the Iowa Tea Party} says in response. He cites the case in Wisconsin, where Scott Walker ran as a Conservative and won, but Mitt Romney lost, arguing that it was the flip-flopping, not Conservatism, that cost Romney the election.

And no Republican Presidential candidate should ever agree to be at a debate moderated by panelists who are aggressively liberal. C-SPAN can host a few events with a couple of non-political moderators to oversee the discourse — this is something that would serve the American public far better than the dog-and-pony shows that were 2012’s debates.

* Yes, we do need to have an effective Hispanic outreach program.

I can’t tell you how many times we have repeatedly suggested this very idea to the local Republican group — and been totally ignored.

I am working with Silvio Canto Jr, host of Canto Talk. He and I will be putting together a website that will take an article with a fiscally conservative message for a solid source, translate it, and promote it among the Hispanic community. We will be starting with an awesome post from Captain Capitalism: A Lesson in Economics for Immigrants

If you expect a political machine to do something specific, you will just be disappointed.

Increases personal income tax on annual earnings over $250,000 for seven years. Increases sales and use tax by ¼ cent for four years. Allocates temporary tax revenues 89 percent to K-12 schools and 11 percent to community colleges. Bars use of funds for administrative costs, but provides local school governing boards discretion to decide, in open meetings and subject to annual audit, how funds are to be spent. Guarantees funding for public safety services realigned from state to local governments.

(Hell No! There is no such thing as a temporary tax increase — and people should know to reject any item that is “for the children”. California’s citizens have been played for saps far too long. I am looking forward to the threats about providing basic public safety services, too!)

Proposition 31 –Establishes two-year state budget cycle.

Prohibits Legislature from creating expenditures of more than $25 million unless offsetting revenues or spending cuts are identified. Permits Governor to cut budget unilaterally during declared fiscal emergencies if Legislature fails to act.

(NO. From Left Coast Rebel – Constitution an incredibly anal process for local communities to adopt “Strategic Action Plans” serving such open-ended new age objectives as “community equity” and nudges them into establishing regional governments to push this agenda. The purpose of local governments is to provide basic services, not to pursue utopian four-year plans.)

(A very likely yes: The Goddess of Capitalism always approves of permitting businesses to decide whom to do business with and at what price-point).

Proposition 34 – Repeals death penalty as maximum punishment for persons found guilty of murder and replaces it with life imprisonment without possibility of parole.

Applies retroactively to persons already sentenced to death. Requires persons found guilty of murder to work while in prison, with their wages to be applied to any victim restitution fines or orders against them. Creates $100 million fund to be distributed to law enforcement agencies to help solve more homicide and rape cases. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Net savings to the state and counties that could amount to the high tens of millions of dollars annually on a statewide basis due to the elimination of the death penalty. One-time state costs totaling $100 million from 2012-13 through 2015-16 to provide funding to local law enforcement agencies.

(No. In my view, some crimes are so heinous as to warrant death as the best form of justice that humans can dish out. Also, where in the hell do the braniacs in Sacramento think that the $100 million dollar fund is going to come from? Have they discovered a fairy dust factory somewhere in this state? My object in legislation related to the death penalty would be how to expedite the process so the citizens of this good state don’t have to pay for their care and comfort longer than necessary)

Increases criminal penalties for human trafficking, including prison sentences up to 15-years-to-life and fines up to $1,500,000. Fines collected to be used for victim services and law enforcement. Requires person convicted of trafficking to register as sex offender. Requires sex offenders to provide information regarding Internet access and identities they use in online activities. Prohibits evidence that victim engaged in sexual conduct from being used against victim in court proceedings. Requires human trafficking training for police officers. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential one-time local government costs of up to a few million dollars on a statewide basis, and lesser additional costs incurred each year, due to the new mandatory training requirements for certain law enforcement officers. Minor increase to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising human trafficking offenders. Unknown amount of additional revenue from new criminal fees, likely not to exceed the low millions of dollars annually, which would fund services for human trafficking victims.

(No. Yes, human traffickers are Satan’s minions and probably deserve the death penalty that a previous proposition is trying to end. My main problem is foisting millions of dollars on local communities to implement the program. The amount is probably an under-estimate, and local governments are going bankrupt all across California. We cannot afford it. I hope my fellow citizens use some fiscal logic, instead of their emotions, when making proposition choices)

Revises three strikes law to impose life sentence only when new felony conviction is serious or violent. Authorizes re-sentencing for offenders currently serving life sentences if third strike conviction was not serious or violent and judge determines sentence does not pose unreasonable risk to public safety. Continues to impose life sentence penalty if third strike conviction was for certain non-serious, non-violent sex or drug offenses or involved firearm possession. Maintains life sentence penalty for felons with non-serious, non-violent third strike if prior convictions were for rape, murder, or child molestation.

(A likely no: Why amend one of the few law enforcement programs that work?)

Proposition 37 – Genetically Engineered Foods. Mandatory Labeling.

Requires labeling on raw or processed food offered for sale to consumers if made from plants or animals with genetic material changed in specified ways. Prohibits labeling or advertising such food as “natural.”

(No: Agriculture has been nothing but a series of people genetically modifying plants and animals (look at the origins and development of fruit such as California’s naval oranges and Kobe beef.), Scaring people away from products that may be potentially more cost effective of have a health benefit (see golden rice) gets a big thumbs down from the Goddess of Capitalism) )

Increases personal income tax rates for annual earnings over $7,316 using sliding scale from .4% for lowest individual earners to 2.2% for individuals earning over $2.5 million, ending after twelve years. During first four years, 60% of revenues go to K-12 schools, 30% to repaying state debt, and 10% to early childhood programs. Thereafter, allocates 85% of revenues to K-12 schools, 15% to early childhood programs.

(Hell NO! Punishing wealth creators while creating more progressive indoctrination centers for young children is not a great idea).

Requires multistate businesses to calculate their California income tax liability based on the percentage of their sales in California. Repeals existing law giving multistate businesses an option to choose a tax liability formula that provides favorable tax treatment for businesses with property and payroll outside California. Dedicates $550 million annually for five years from anticipated increase in revenue for the purpose of funding projects that create energy efficiency and clean energy jobs in California. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Approximately $500 million in additional state General Fund revenues in 2012-13 and $1 billion each year thereafter from requiring a single sales factor formula for corporate taxes, with about half of the additional annual revenues from 2013-14 through 2017-18 supporting energy efficiency and alternative energy projects. Increased Proposition 98 minimum funding guarantee for K-14 schools of roughly $225 million annually from 2012-13 through 2017-18 and by roughly $500 million each year thereafter, as a result of additional state General Fund revenues.

(NO! Wow – can a proposition possibly be more full of fail ? More taxes, more bureaucracy, and green energy projects. See Solyndra, and pass this loser up.)

Proposition 40 – Redistricting. State Senate Districts.

State Senate districts are revised every ten years following the federal census. This year, the voter-approved California Citizens Redistricting Commission revised the boundaries of the 40 Senate districts. This referendum petition, if signed by the required number of registered voters and filed with the Secretary of State, will: (1) Place the revised State Senate boundaries on the ballot and prevent them from taking effect unless approved by the voters at the next statewide election; and (2) Require court-appointed officials to set interim boundaries for use in the next statewide election.

(A tepid yes. It is hard for me to believe any redistricting scheme won’t be used to protect the power of the political elite of both parties. But I so WANT to BELIEVE).

Prop 40: Your GOP Donations At Work – YES
This is a monument to the stupidity of some Republican Party leaders, who spent nearly $2 million of party funds to qualify – and then drop – this referendum to overturn the Senate reapportionment because several state senators didn’t like their new districts. They had hoped to run in their old seats, but after qualifying the initiative found out they couldn’t anyway. A “Yes” vote affirms that the new non-partisan Citizens Redistricting Commission works.

Dear Readers: Lots of exciting news at the Shrine this week. The Goddess of Capitalism will be traveling this Sunday, Oct. 7th to join “Blogger’s Row” with a bunch of other savvy independent conservatives.

A little background on the event:

1) Ben Shapiro and Shannon Grove have committed to speak at the rally.

2) We reconfirmed by phone that Dennis Prager, Mark Meckler, Bill Whittle, and AlfonZo Rachel will be speaking.

3) We have received sponsorship forms, logos, and checks from 21 different groups.

The Wake Up America! 2012 Rally is about inspiring new and existing activists to work as hard as possible at the grassroots level in the last month before the election so that we can take back our country and begin to take back our state. With Obama in town for a fundraiser on the same day, our rally is also about sending a message to Obama, the media, and the rest of America that the conservative movement is alive and well even in the heart of liberal Los Angeles.

MUT Note: I have been working with Team Prager to promote Prager University at College Insurrection. So far, the courses I have featured include, so I am really happy to go!

Dear Readers: A thrilling bit of news the Goddess of Capitalism is pleased to share — Luca Bocci, one of the key people associated with Tea Party Italia and the international Tea Party movement will be on Canto Talk this Tuesday (Oct. 2, 7 pm PST, 9 pm CT; click HERE to listen).

As a reminder, I had the honor and privilege of meeting my Italian compatriots, as I described here: An AMERICAN in FLORENCE…for an ITALIAN TEA PARTY! Luca kindly helped me translate the speech I gave, and provided an .mp3 file so I could pronounce things properly. That everyone chuckled at the right places, I sensed I was understood:

(Sorry for the sideways view; Horemheb was not used to my camera).

Luca Bocci is the International Outreach Director of Tea Party Italia, a coalition of several Italian Tea Party groups that since May 2010 has been working to promote the Tea Party vision of a world with less government, less regulations, less taxes, more freedom and liberty for all. A journalist specialized in international affairs and finance, has worked for several national newspapers, including “Il Giornale”, “La Padania”, “L’Opinione”, other than working as professional translator, localization specialist and financial advisor. After more than 10 years in local politics, mostly with PR, press relations and organizational roles in the main conservative party in Italy, realized that business-as-usual politics was not the answer to the huge problems that the country was facing.

After attending the first Italian Tea Party in Prato, was one of the people that stepped forward to help the movement grow all over the country. Since July 2010 has been the National Spokesperson, in charge of maintaining relations with as many conservative, libertarian, Christian and free market groups and organizations both in Italy and abroad.

An update that summarizes all the activist goodness that Tea Party Italia and its international counterparts have been doing appear below. (MUT Note – I have Google Translate in the blogroll to the right, which is very helpful for getting the gist of a post our international compatriots may make!).

Tea Party Italia is an umbrella organization that has as its only goal helping to grow and strengthen the Italian Tea Party movement.

Founded in June 2010, after the first Tea Party in Italy, which was held in Prato (near Florence) on May 20th 2010, is maintaining a very lean structure in order to remain independent and credible with the many local groups that are organizing throughout the country.

The coordination team is formed by the group of young professionals that organized the first Tea Party in Prato and by a number of people that have joined the movement in the following weeks.

At the moment, Tea Party Italia has helped organize more than 70 events in several cities in Italy (Rome, Milan, Turin, Florence, Naples, Venice, Bologna, Parma and so on).
After the “fall campaign”, where the local groups tried to get known locally, the movement concentrated its efforts and all its resources to prepare for the coming municipal elections and campaign for fiscally conservative, limited government candidates in the town councils.

The pledge, drafted with the help of several other conservative and libertarian organizations, would morally bind the candidate to reduce fiscal imposition at every available occasion, eradicate the plague of cronyism in public affairs and use the money saved to finance tax cuts or repay existing public debt, thus starting a virtuous cycle that hopefully from local government will spread to the national level.

At least 100 town councilmen that had signed the pledge were elected, giving a potential network of conservative politicians around the nation.

From the very start, the movement had to fight against slanderous media coverage, dispute the many lies spread on the newspapers on the American situation and defend itself from the unwanted attention of some politicians whose conservative credentials were far from stellar. With patience, the new spokesperson, Giacomo Zucco, and a few other local TP leaders are gaining visibility on national and local media, the only people to express without fear a free market, conservative viewpoint.

Since the elections in 2011, TPI has focused more on expanding its presence on the territory and structure the local groups in order for them to become truly independent and start influencing local politics in earnest.

The next campaign organized by the national coordination group and implemented by many local TPs was a law proposal to limit the effect of a new tax on property imposed by the government of Mario Monti. The network of city councilmen had the proposal discussed in the open, forcing the mayor and its majority to vote no, something that will be useful in the next election cycle. In the city of Genoa and some small towns in the North of Italy, the proposal passed. In a couple villages, the mayor declared that he will not collect the tax at all, raising funds by cutting spending, a huge success indeed.

The participation of Tea Party Italia to the Worldwide Tea Party 2012 multi-national event (http://www.wtp2012.com) was a big effort from the local groups, that organized events in 10 different cities.

Two national meetings (Milan 2011 and Venice 2012), have managed to draw some attention and a sizeable crowd of activists coming from neighboring regions.

Considered that the movement does not require any formal affiliation, it is rather difficult to estimate the number of activists involved at the moment, but the local groups active in the country can count on several thousands of determined people, mostly in their 20s and 30s that have so far made every event successful.

The movement does not receive any sort of financial support by the government or any other organization, local or international. All the initiatives have been organized independently, with funds collected by the host local group.

The national coordination group maintains some charges that are mostly nominal, but every group is still able to organize and promote events independently, something that is true to the real Tea Party ethos.

Today, Silvio mulled over the following item: I’ve noticed that you’ve writing a bit about women and showing a little frustration with your gender (see HERE and HERE for specific instances). It is true that women in this country seem a little confused, (i.e., their love affair with Barak Obama). ..{A} a lot of women are for Obama and that is hard to understand.

I can understand why men no longer want to open doors or help women. I do feel sad, however, that it has come to a situation where society is at this level. In fact, in my forthcoming book on the war against men, I address how our society is breaking down because men no longer want to, or are even afraid to interact with women and girls.

Yes, this is what happens when 50 years of social experimentation replaces 3 million years of finely honed evolution and thousands of years of culture and history. But we are now where we are, so what can we do?

I think women can shake things up. In fact, I think women are shaking things up..and will continue to do so. Let me start by saying women voter shifted Republican in the 2010 mid-terms (except in California, but I vented about that yesterday). Not because Republicans are awesomely awesome, but because they could see how wretched the economy has become under Team Obama.

In fact, most of the nation’s Tea Party groups were started by women, and many are still lead by women. Women, “mama grizzlies”, are often the gate-keepers of the family finance. So, when gas hits the high $3’s per gallon, and decent bread is costing $5/loaf, and they are working 2 part-time jobs to make up for an unemployed/under-employed spouse, women are pretty keen to target the source of economic hardship.

And, no, as much as many of like good fashion, Anna Wintour endorsements are not going to persuade us President Obama is worth re-electing.

Obama is trying to spread the meme that Romney is leading a “War on Women”. I am a PUMA: I had front row seats for Team Obama’s war on Clinton, then watched it join with the elite media to take-out Sarah Palin. OBAMA IS A 5-STAR GENERAL IN THE WAR ON WOMEN.

Now, will many women vote for Obama? Sure. For example, the women that I know who are committed to doing so are essentially one-issue voters (focused on abortion rights). And, sadly, many who do vote are not fully informed on the issues, and rely on their traditional history of voting Democratic because of “feel good intentions”. But, they are persuadable, as the 2010 mid-terms indicate.

And, here is another thing that women don’t like: DESPERATION. And the Obama campaign reeks of desperation. Trying to make it seem that Mitt Romney, who cared for his wife during her bout with cancer, doesn’t have compassion and essentially killed the wife of an auto-worker is not the hallmark of a vibrant, healthy campaign.

However, as

Team Obama gets more desperate, this ad is going to seem like the height of good taste when Nov. 6th rolls around. And desperation is never attractive, even for liberal women.

Silvo pondered something, as he was thinking about a dance form he admires:

In tango, the man leads but with incredible care and respect for the woman. He leads but does not push, that’s a big difference. He earns his leadership role and she gladly accepts because she is being treated like a queen the whole time.

She follows but with total trust and understanding that he will pick up her at the end. He will always be there for her……he won’t let her fall.

I don’t know but I think that too many American girls need a class in the kind of chivalry and respect for women behind the tango dance.

Obama’s Julia really needs it. After all, how can you tango without a man?

Which is a great excuse to share a video with my audience:

The best response I could give to Silvio is this: Women are not all one way, or the other, and dancing is not voting. How women behave and vote goes to who they are: Water seeks its own level. Empowered women who take personal responsibility for themselves will vote one way; dependent women who do not wish to make the most of their freedoms and liberties will choose another. Women need to decide who and what they are and what they will tolerate, and vote accordingly…not vote based on feelings and hope it works out for the best.

I have good hope we will not disappoint the good men in this country on Nov. 6th.

To highlight this point, I want to share some punditry from Silvio’s other Angels:

Melanie Sturm: The welfare state — you didn’t build that: We didn’t build the welfare state, but now that it’s crumbling and imperiling our way of life, we have the opportunity to transform our government so that it will serve us better. Doing so will renew the moral promise inherent in the American Dream while making it accessible to all.

Dr. Illeana Johnson-Paugh (Romanian Conservative): My Trip to the Liberal Zoo – A pizzeria with its doors opened wide in Italian style invited in both patrons and flies. It was hot, expensive, $4 per slice, and it came with an environmental surcharge added to the bill. I love planting trees and caring for the environment, but I hate when people force me to do something by charging a fee to my bill when I am not paying attention and calling it optional online. It reminds me of the involuntary “volunteer” work forced by the communist party on us every month in the country of my birth.

SittingOnTheEdge: Blame Ozzy – The politicization of what is now being investigated as an act of domestic terror began before we learned the perpetrator’s name. American Power has twitter feeds of both the prominent figures on the left and rank-and-file twitterers (or whatever you call them) demanding more gun control and blaming Michele Bachmann. Professor Jacobson reports that “Both CNN and Fox News cut away when the U.S. Attorney took the stage and launched a lengthy speech which sounded like an Obama campaign speech.”

NoOneOfAnyImport: An Article Full of Fail (a great fisking of a trite elite media piece) – I love this particular bit of journalistic fail because it admits the larger failure of the leftist powers-that-be: without conservative attention, darlings of the left like Fluke would remain unnoticed.

PoliticalJunkieMom: Uncomfortable Olympic Go(l)d : I’ve watched so much craziness unfold this week on Facebook over the Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. People I thought to be rational went nuts calling out others (by name!) for their support of “hate chicken” by arguing that they believe in a loving God. I do, too, but I also believe in a facist-free country that allows others the right to free speech. Apparently some speech is more free than others and “the right to not be made uncomfortable” is tolerated much more than the right to express one’s faith. That’s what makes me uncomfortable.

*Suburban moms. The issue isn’t contraception…it’s having a job to pay for contraception. Obama’s economy frightens these moms. They are worried about putting food on the table. They fear for their children’s future. This is not good news for Obama.

One last item: A piece of advice from the Goddess of Capitalism to the Captain’s single, male fans, that is based in 3 million years of evolution. If you find a women appealing, before going over, see if you can look her in the eye for 5 seconds. If she returns your glance (especially with a smile), then go over and chat with her — she is interested. If she turns around promptly, and looks down at her drink, don’t bother.

Dear Readers: While my hero, Captain Capitalism, is off taking a much needed break on his version of Calypso’s Island, he has kindly asked me to contribute a post. I pondered the topics, and decided to try and explain the unexplainable to his vast and savvy audience.

As a Goddess, you might think I would try to explain women. And while I am pleased to grace the “manosphere” today with my decidedly female viewpoint, I decided to try to lift the veil on an entity more troubling: California voters.

Many of you will recall that the “big red wave” of 2010 stopped at the Sierra Nevada. Why did California voters choose as Governor Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown while most other voters chose more sensible options for their states?

Here is the reason: In this state, you will find that many in Democratic Party leadership are corrupt; however, Republican politicos tend to be both corrupt and incompetent.

I would like to offer several examples. Many of you are involved in citizen activism through Tea Party groups. I am a “Palin Democrat” who helped organize the first San Diego area Tea Party in Feb. 2009, as part of the first nation-wide protest event. The local Republican party attempted to hijack this activity, making promises about locations and supplies they had no intention of keeping. The logo our group created was usurped as well. Later on, after the state GOP selected politico neophyte and charisma-deficient candidate Meg Whitman as their gubernatorial candidate, her staff called California Tea Party organizers and basically told our citizen activists exactly how we were going to help her campaign.

She did not bother to take questions regarding her positions on illegal immigration or global warming, which were issues over great concern to my California compatriots on that business call. She was neither informative nor gracious. Subsequently, there was little enthusiasm or involvement from our state’s grassroots conservatives. The result is as you see: Governor Brown (who, now that several cities have declared bankruptcy, is trying to up-end green-based restrictions on businesses).

Thanks to six Republicans in the California Senate and Assembly, the largest tax increase was passed on this citizens on this state. The former chairman of the state GOP, Ron Nehring, is reported to have said: “We will take over the Tea Party or destroy it.” The San Diego County chairman spends his time hacking the Twitter account of his Democratic Party counterpart, resulting in the suspension of his Twitter account. Needless to say, given the quality of the competition, California has truly become a one-party state. In fact, the most thrilling political development has been that the Libertarians have taken over a former GOP office in Sacramento: If a third party can succeed anywhere, it is most likely in this state.

Some supposed “Tea Party leaders” have tried to tell us how to deal with the Republican Party, based on their own (probably better) red-state standards. However, in this state, the usual rules of political sanity do not apply. So, we Tea Party peeps have got to make it up as we go along.

Now, is it time to despair of we in the Left Coast? No, I say to you. Californians have the initiative process, and during the last one, our voters said no to a tax increase on cigarettes (a sin tax, which would have normally passed). All the BIG spending measures were passed before 2008; after 2009, not so much. Citizen activists have gotten a new measure on the ballot to fight against the political use of union dues. We are so active, that some power-crazed members of the Assembly have introduced bills to make the initiative process more challenging.

As a Democrat, I have an advantage over many of by GOP or Libertarian friends: Fellow Democrats are more inclined to share their thoughts with me. So, I can tell you all that I have dialoged with (perhaps about 50) are very unhappy with Team Obama. Some will not bother to vote, some will vote Romney, and only 2 will vote Obama (focused only on the abortion issue). No, Romney will not win this state – but the margin he will lose by will be substantially less than McCain’s results in 2008. And, as I suspect these same margins will hold across the country, I prophesy that Obama loses by a landslide.

The biggest Tea Party news recently was the victory of Ted Cruz in Texas. However, the most significant story from that evening went unreported: The Hispanics did not show at the polls. My friend and talk show host Silvio Canto has the complete details (here is the link — http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cantotalk/2012/08/03/todays-message ). I suspect that California’s vast Hispanic population will also fail to show this November, too. (MUT Note; Silvio is the Cuban version of the Dos Equis man, so please check out his show on BlogTalkRadio.com).

The Captain has broken my heart, by saying he will not come out to California because we drive him crazy. I do understand – but I will keep a candle burning at the Shrine of Flaming Capitalism in hopes I might persuade him to give us a second chance, based on the general election results. Watch our propositions – if we reject the Brown Tax Increases, this will be a Tea Party win. Also, the San Diego mayor’s race may produce our future equivalent to Scott Walker (the candidate, Carl DeMaio, is awesome).